Travel in county Somerset

The honk of the geese as they take off from the lake is comically loud, reeds quiver and the reflection of the clouds on the water is momentarily fractured. A butterfly flits by, landing on my boot. We’re on a guided walk at 42 Acres, a regenerative farm, nature reserve and retreat centre near Frome in Somerset – and the whole place feels vibrantly alive.

From Moorish monuments and Roman ruins to Gothic gargoyles and modern marvels, these cities have glorious design masterpieces. 

Spring is in the air in New York, with a series of exciting openings, launches, events and tourism developments taking place across the state. Below is what’s new, what’s happening and what’s coming up for travellers to the Empire State.

Trying desperately hard to loosen my grip on the leather reins, while resisting the urge to cling on for dear life, I attempt to reason with my horse. Negotiating with a nervous 1,000lb animal would be challenging on a flat surface. On a boulder-strewn 45-degree slope, it’s almost impossible. Fortunately, Jonathan ‘Yoni’ Zapata, an accomplished gaucho, comes to my rescue. A few quiet words of reassurance and my horse is putty in his hands. 

Ascott debuts two brands in Austria in November 2023

Although autumn has that bucolic and melancholic halo that is so well reflected in the act of the leaves falling from the trees, it's also a season when the torrid summer heat is finally gone and nature displays an incredible blanket of colors, smells, and sensations. In many parts of Europe, autumn is the best time to explore natural places and trails full of hidden treasures.

On a sunny October afternoon in the London neighborhood of Bermondsey, a cool breeze surprised me with the winy smell of apples. It brought on a sudden sharp craving for a nice chunk of Cheddar, the fruit and the cheese together being a favorite after-school snack when I was growing up in Connecticut. This was an appropriate prompt, too, since I was on my way to a very privileged lesson in British farmhouse cheeses at the beginning of an eight-day, cheese-themed trip to London and Somerset run by the specialty tour company Cheese Journeys.

As summer holidays come to an end, 50 Best has compiled its list of the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023.

Glittering seas, spectacular cliffs, tranquil farmland and vast skies – whether you stroll, walk or hike the South West Coast Path, the scenery is some of the most beautiful in the UK. The country’s longest trail stretches for 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset, along the Devon and Cornwall coast to Poole Harbour in Dorset. This year is the 50th anniversary of the creation of the South West Coast Path Association, when a group of walkers, having tackled the Pennine Way, decided to create something similar in the West Country.

A quartet of caravans are in a wildflower meadow and copse in the grounds of an old rectory near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. They are Gertie, a rare 1930s model; Sybil, a handmade 1940s van; Monty, a second world war military wagon; and Elsie, a 1950s van. All have original features and outdoor seating; three have wood burners and Monty has a private deck. There are communal showers, toilets, a summer kitchen and campfire, and an honesty shop selling farm produce, ice-cream and cider. Guests can hire individual vans or the site, and pitch a tent next to their van at no extra cost.From £200 for two nights for four people, vans sleep two to five, maddogsandvintagevans.co.uk

Keith Drew sees Britain's Somerset in a different light from behind the wheel of a six-man motorhome.